Over the last couple of years, since Noore I'Meles was reborn, the northern canyons and crevasses have been explored by various groups; Orcs, Avians, Rodera, Humans, Undead, and others... The Labyrinths of Noore have yielded interesting discoveries: thermal springs, powerful herbs, valuable minerals. There are stories of creatures lurking in the dark corners; warped humanoid beasts, shadowy spirits, even baby dragons. Nobody has seen a Goblin since the land's rebirth.

The resource that nobody, save perhaps a couple of notable Orc heroes, expected to find in such abundance is True Steel. A metal forged by the earth itself, virtually indestructible. Seams if true steel have been found in several locations, and the Orcs have made fine work of mining and working it. The Orc Chapters are some of the best equipped soldiers on Velmaneth.

One mine, however, has proved to be far more trouble than it was worth. The Onyatan mine, in the North-West corner of the land, south of the Erda Ridge and the Mirilya Woodland beyond. Vast quantities of true steel were extracted incredibly quickly. But the Orcs who first mined the seams here discovered something beneath the earth that nobody had expected. They found a shrine. The precise nature of this shrine is unknown, since all but one Orc who saw it died in the mineshaft. The survivor, Cyra Onyatan, blocked the entrance to the deepest shaft of the mine. When he returned to the surface, he was ranting about a shrine and a curse. He had developed magical powers that he had never possessed, which erupted from him, lashing out at his brothers. He was subdued and taken away. For the last year, he had been kept in a small cell, looked after by the Chapter of Cleansing. Until one day he simply vanished. All that remained was a grey handprint on the wall of his chamber.

Or so the story goes. Whether it's true or not, the Orcs fear to go near the Onyatan mine. But that doesn't mean that others don't want in. Onyatan is probably the most fruitful true steel mine on Velmaneth. Various groups of various degrees of repute have reported that they found not only precious metal, but also gemstones imbued with magical power. A few people have made a good living for themselves scavenging the mines. Whatever their boasts and tales, one thing remains consistent: that place is haunted.

Meanwhile, across the Erda Ridge, there has been something stirring in the Mirilya Woodlands. Parts of the forest have been dying, the wildlife has been behaving erratically, and the druids' groves feel weak. Indeed, druids across Pargon have felt a disturbance in the order of things. In the mountains of the Erda Ridge, people have reported seeing a great pale handprint on mountainsides under moonlight. A conclave of beastkin, druids and scholars has met and determined the source of the disorder to be Onyatan. All those present at this conclave immediately found their magics cut off from them. Without power, confused and scared, they have offered a reward to anyone who can remove the Curse of Onyatan from Pargon. They have not defined a limit to this reward...

yep. here's some bumf for this sunday's Buried! you're going into a mine to try to remove a curse. either for reward, or fun, or for treasure, or out of a sense of duty, or maybe just because that's what your friends were doing. whatever your reasons for it, it is likely to be dangerous, but could be extremely prosperous for you.